Means of rendering animal fats



June 15, 1948. F. SCHROE DER MEANS OF RENDERING ANIMAL FATS Filed Au 3,1945 VENT l. ivuail: II

2 2 Z F 4 Z J d 0 Z 73 1? Z Z .6 6 5 Z [J M was w 4/ Z :I P. 3 5 2M5 .W2 3 Wm 15 7 H 3 6 w m Mv 4 Patented June 15, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENTOFF ICE; 1 2,443,274 Q MEANS OF RENDERING ANIMALFATS Fred Schroeder,Mason City, Iowa Application August 3, 1945, ScrialN'o'. 608,785

This invention relates to a means and method of rendering animal fatsand has for one. ofv its objects the production of a simple andefficient means for passing the fats from one tank to an-- other anddraining on the rendered fatsfrom the unrendered product.

A further object of this invention. is the pro duction of a simpleandeihcient method of draining oi? the fats from the unrendered product,so as to provide an efficient separation and" a maxirnurn production.

Cther objects advantages of the invention will appear throughout thefollowing specificatiOn and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is side elevational' view of the apparatus or means forcarrying out the present invention, certain parts of the apparatusbeingv shown in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectionalview of one of the tanksshowing the communicating drains connecting with adjoining tanks;

Figure 3 is a plan View of one of the agitators;

Figure t is a plan View of one of the logged plates for keeping thedrain free and also providing a closure therefor;

' Figure 5 is a side elevational View of the plate shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan View of one of the jacketed tanks certain.parts being shown in section;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary topplan' View of a part of one of thecommunicating spouts located between the tanks;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken. on line 8-8 of Figure 2.

B'y referring to the drawing, it will be seen that In designates ahasher which'islocated at: as-uitable elevation to deliver the hashed'product through the entrance opening I i of the firsttank 1-2. Othertanks I3; It and 15, are employed in step-like formation, as shown inFigure 1. I3he tank I3 is located just below and. in ofiset relationwith respect to the tank I2 to receive drainage from the tank l2. Thetank i4 is similarly located with respect to the tank I3, and the tanki5 is similarly located with respect to the tank l4,.the successivetanks. receiving drainage from the tank located just above. Each tankIZto- M, inclusive; is provided with a discharge spout it for conveyingthe unrendered or partly rendered product to the next succeeding tank.The tank It is provided with a discharge spout H to deliver theunrendered product to a motor-driven cloth strainer belt [8 under whichis placed adrainpan 42 Claims. (Cl. 210-495) 2- 99' for delivering therat to the jacketed receiving tank 20". A suitable spout 2| delivers theresidue from the belt |8 to a suitable point oi disposali The tanks [2to F5 inclusive provided with jacketed" drain pan-s 22 below the bottomofthe tanks which communicates with the vertical drain channels 23 ofthe adjoinin tanks to provide-a continuous drain irons the tank itthrough the tank i5, as shown in Figure 1. The tanks 92- to t5, as Wellas the drain pans 22, and drain channels 2-3 are provided with jacketsMtoreceive steam to control'th'e temperature of the tanks; anda suitablefeeds pipe 25 simplies steam thereto from a suitable source of supply.Each tank l2 to Hi,

: inclusive, provided: witl'i a suitable perforated drain openiug 26 atthebottom thereof above the drain pan; 22:- todrain the fat intothe 22.A closure plate 2 is hinged below drain opening 226 and is provided withlugs or pins 28' for registering with and fitting the aperturesor theperforated drain opening to close the drain opening if desired, and alsoto clean: out the perforations of the drain opening. A handle 29 iscarried by the closure plate 2? to facilitate the swinging of the:closure plate 275 and from a closed position. The handle 29? may restupon the bottom of the paniit' to support the plate 2']- in its closedposition after having been swung to'the position shown indotted lines:in Figure 2; an opening 30,. normally closed, is located in a positionto: permit access to the handle Ftfl for the purpose of swinging theplate 2? and from a closed position. A suitable vent pipe 3| is providedfor" each tank. Each. spout hi. is provi'ded with a, bottom dram-ageslot 3;. for draining the fat passing therethrough to the drain p'ani 22locatedbelow the slot. An opening 33 is provided in each spout no topermit access thereto" in case of clogging and. a: cover 3M normallycloses' this opening 33.

A vertical adjustor shaft 35 suitably driven, is carriedby' each tank. Apair of agitators 353 are carried by each. shaft 35. and rotate tanksBtifor agitating the product while r ing the fat. A suitable opening 351.- closed, is. provided" the top of each tanl: to por mit access to theinterior thereof. discharge spout'fl communicates with drainpair 22 ofthe tank F5 to deliver the rendered fat to the motor-drivenvclothstrainer 380i a endless type: A drain pan 39': delivers the drailtherefrom to the receiving tank 2? A spout t9" leads-from the strainer38 todeliver the residue to a: suitable point of disposal. The endlessstrainers it and 38 are: driven by a belt: it from amotor M.

A suitable door or gate 33 is located at the junction of the spout Itwith the adjacent tank and this door or gate 33 normally remains closeduntil the tank is partly filled. A suitable operating handle 3 operatesthe door or gate 33 to move the same to a selected open or closedposition. This handle may be of any desired type.

' From the foregoing description it will be noted that I employ a seriesof tanks arranged in offset relation, one tank being elevated relativeto the next-adjoining tank so that the tanks will be mounted in astep-like formation. In actual practice these tanks are preferablyround, jacketed tanks to withstand fifty pounds steam pressure and maybe approximately eight feet in diameter and six feet in depth. The sizeof the tanks may be varied without departingfrom the invention,depending upon the volume be rendered.

As explained above, each tank is provided with a perforated plate in thecenter .of the bottom thereof to drain off rendered fat, leaving onlythe residue or partly rendered product in the tank;

of fat to A The lugged plate 21 which acts in conjunction with theperforated plate 26 carries'lugs 28 which are aligned with theperforations in the plate for cleaning out the perforations and also tokeep the perforations closed when necessary as above described. Thehandle 29 of each'plate .willrest' on the drain pan below each tank whenthe perforations are closed. The slotted spouts l3 form-- ingconnections between the tanks convey the product from one tank toanother until the process is completed, the. slots 32 drainingloif therendered product into the channels 23 and con-- veying the unrendered orpartially rendered prodnot to the next-adjoining tank. The drainedrendered product from the tank l2 will be drained into the steamjacketed drain pan 22below the tank l2 and will be passed down throughthe channel 23 to the drain pan 22 .below'the tank [3. The drainedrendered product from the tank l3 will drain into the pan 22 below thetank 13 and the drainage from the tanks l2 and l3.will be passed downthrough the channel 23 into the panZZ below the tank l4. The tank 15will be similarly drained and the final drainage will pass downthroughthe spout '31 upon the strainer 39 and into the receiving tank 20, thesurplus or cracklings produced passing down the spout H and across thestrainer l8 as above described. As described also each tank is providedwith mechanical agitators and -permanentlyattached covers are providedfor each tankthrough which the vent 3| extends. Clean-out doors 3,6 as,described are provided to facilitate the cleaning of the tanks. Thetanks and drain pans are provided with suitable steam gauges 42 andthermometers 43 in any suitable number or location to facilitate operation.

In carrying out the process, the raw fats are passed through the hasherl0, and; then enter the tank l2. Before operation of rendering is begun,steam is turned on all of the tanks and drain pans to fiftypoundspressure. As fats enter the tank l2 the perforations in the plate26 are kept closed by swinging the lugged plate 21 to a closed positionand the perforations are kept closed until the tank has approximatelyfour feet level of fat in the tank. The lugged plate 21 is then openedand this process is followed through from tank to tank. It should befurther understood that any number" of tanks may be that a very simple,economical and sanitary sys-' tem is provided for rendering fat, andthat the apparatus may be easily cleaned and produces a clear andefiicient product.

Certain detail changes in the construction of the apparatus and in thesystem employed may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, so long as such changes fall Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asnew is:

1. An apparatus of the class described. comprising a series of steamjacketed and heated tanks'arranged one above the other, a hasher fordelivering hashed fat to the first tank of the.

series, an agitator in each tank, means for actuating each agitator, adrain at the bottom of each tank for draining off the rendered fat bygravity, a steam jacketed and heated drain pan below each drain of eachtank, communication conduits connecting the drain pans of the series oftanks, a receiving tank located adjacent the last tank of the series, astrainer interposed between the last tank and the receiving tank forstraining the rendered fat as it passes from the last tank, and meansfor disposing of the residue. of the hashed fats from the last tank.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a series of heatedtanksarranged one above the other, the vertical'center of one tankbeinglaterally located relative to the adjoiningtank, a hasher for deliveringhashed raw fat to the first tank'of the-series, an agitator in eachtank, means for rotating each agitator, a drain at the bottom of eachtank for draining off the renprogressively elevated and laterallydisplacedrelative to the next lower tank, a hasher for delivering hashedraw fat to the first tank of the series, an agitator in each tank, meansfor rotating each agitator, a drain at the bottom of each tank fordraining off the rendered fat by gravity, a steam jacketed heated drainpan below each drain of each tank, communication conduits connecting thedrain pans of the series of tanks, a receiving tank located adjacent thelast tank of the series, a strainer interposed between the last tank andthe receiving tank for straining the rendered fat as it passes from thelast tank, a strainer. interposed between the last tank and thereceiving tank for receiving the residue of cracklings. as they passfrom the last tank, and means for disposing of the residue of the hashedfats from the last tank.

4. A tank construction of the class described comprising a steamjacketed body having a periorated drain at its bottom, agitatorsrotatably mounted in the body, means for rotating each agitator, a drainpan located below said body, a lugged plate hinged adjacent saidperforated drain and having lugs adapted to fit in the perforations ofthe perforated. drain to clean the perforations and to also provide aclosure for said perforated drain, a support carried by said plateadapted to rest upon the bottom of said drain to hold the plate in aclosed position, said tank having a drain channel communicating withsaid drain pan, and a drain discharge spout located at the bottom of thetank and communicating with the interior of the tank for drainingcracklings from said tank.

FRED SCHROEDER.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gray Aug. 8, 1865 FirmanJan. 20, 1874 Andrew July 18, 1876 Andrew Apr. 10, 1877 De La Croix Nov.26, 1895 Wilson Sept. 8, 1896 Powter Feb. 19, 1901 Edson Aug. 26, 1902Goetz et a1 Aug, 8, 1911 Turner et a1 Apr. 23, 1912 Powling Dec. 16,1930 Lowry May 7, 1940 Santuoci Feb. 15, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Great Britain 1891 Great Britain

